cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 75 CENTS | Funding local journalism | Monday, 25 November 2019 Business Government: Cheque- cashing fees not illegal Page 11 Sports Cayman Classic begins Monday Page 14 Scores turn up at RCIPS recruitment drive Page 10 Turtle Centre for Brac Page 5 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY SPICY GRILLED CRISPY SANDICHES I W CK ANDW CHICKEN ICHE E Carnival CEO defends environmental record Big interview: Arnold Donald sits down with Cayman Compass. Page 7 & 8 MLAs raise port safety concerns Page 3 Photo: Taneos RamsayPRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 E: sales@compassmedia.ky W: caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA NEWS PRODUCER AND OPERATIONS MANAGER KEVIN MORALES A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Mainly fair skies with less than 20% chance of showers. weather Forecast today Cayman Islands 87°F 75°F HIGH LOW WINDS Northerly at 5 to 10 knots SEA STATE Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) 21 BRIDGES (R) 1:30 | 4:20 | 7:00 VIP | 10:15 CHARLIE’S ANGELS (PG13) 12:30 | 6:40 FORD V FERRARI (PG13) 12:20 VIP | 3:20 | 6:50 | 9:30 VIP | 9:30 FROZEN 2 (PG) - 3D 12:15 3D | 1:15 | 4:00 VIP 4:10 3D | 7:00 | 9:30 3D LAST CHRISTMAS (PG13) 5:10 | 10:05 PLAYING WITH FIRE (PG) 2:45 | 7:40 MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL (PG) 1:00 | 3:45 | 6:35 | 9:30 cayman compass 2 N news MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2019 Kirkconnell refutes 50% cost-overrun claims for airport PAC to look into project RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell has denied opposition claims that cost overruns for the Owen Roberts International Airport expansion project increased by 50% on the original projected cost. The issue of cost overruns was raised by Opposition Leader Arden McLean during Finance Committee on Wednesday as legislators reviewed allocations for Kirkconnell’s ministry in government’s $1.5 billion budget for 2020/2021. The deputy premier is the minister responsible for district administration, tourism and transport. McLean suggested that the project overruns were almost 50% of the amount approved for the airport expansion. It is a claim Kirkconnell rejected as politics. He said the project will be heading to the Public Accounts Committee for scrutiny. “I think it will be a good account of what really happened there because it was not a 50% overspend,” Kirkconnell said. The full figure of the project’s cost overruns was not shared. A government statement earlier this year indicated that the project will cost $10 million more than projected in 2016. The estimated cost of the project was pegged at $64.37 million at the time. An auditor general’s report on the cost overruns and delays in the project criticised the changing of the scope of the airport’s expansion after the contracts were signed. McLean pressed Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson on how the contractors were able to overspend for the project and how the spending was authorised. Anderson said increased spending was necessary to complete some areas in the project that were missing from the original plans. He said some of the changes came out of board decisions to change the scope of the project. He said the CIAA board gave him the authority to sign off on a certain amount without having to get board approval. McLean took issue with this since, he said, increases in spending were within the remit of Cabinet for approval, not a CEO or a board. He pointed to the clear guidelines in the Public Management and Finance Law that states appropriations can go over by 10% of the approved allocation for projects; anything outside of that has to come back to the Legislative Assembly. Kirkconnell said the method the CIAA employed for the project included using the cash flow from the passenger fees for travellers going through the airport. He said the improvements had to be done. He said the changes were decided by the board that was appointed by Cabinet. McLean objected to the minister’s explanation that he had responsibility to do it without the stated instructions of Cabinet. This, he said, is a problem the opposition has with how public funds are being managed. Finance Committee resumes on Monday. Opposition kicks off port referendum meetings The Opposition is set to launch its port referendum campaign this week. According to a notice issued over the weekend by the Office of the Opposition, the first meeting will be held at North Side Civic Centre, starting at 7:30 pm. Thursday. The Opposition has gone on record as opposing the $200 million cruise berthing and cargo project. Last week, Opposition MLAs Chris Saunders (Bodden Town West) and Bernie Bush (West Bay North) addressed the Cruise Port Referendum Cayman 'Vote No' campaign launch in George Town. The referendum, which was triggered by a CPR petition, will be held on 19 Dec. The Public Accounts Committee is expected to scrutinise the cost overruns in the Owen Roberts International Airport expansion project. MEETINGS SCHEDULE 28 Nov. – 7:30 pm at North Side Civic Centre 2 Dec. – 7:30 pm at Savannah Primary School 3 Dec. – 7 pm at Sir John A Cumber Primary School 4 Dec. – 7:30 pm at Seafarers Hall 10 Dec. – 7 pm at South Sound Civic Centre 11 Dec. – 7 pm at Constitution Hall 12 Dec. – 7:30 pm at East End Civic Centre 17 Dec. – 7:30 pm at Bodden Town Civic CentreWoods: Port at full capacity, additional hires underway RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Opposition MLAs flagged what they called “serious” safety con- cerns when it comes to operations at the cargo port. Topping the areas they highlighted were a shortage of manpower and a rigorous night shift schedule. Acting Port Director Joseph Woods was put in the hot seat in Finance Committee last week as he faced the grilling. While he stopped short of saying his hands were tied when it came to the operations, Woods pointed out that port operations were at maximum capacity and he was working with what he has available to him. “That port is used at 100% of its capacity 90% of the time, and the only reason that it has any downtime is if there is a day without a cruise ship scheduled, or a day we don’t have an aggregate ship. But, the rest of the time that port works 24 hours a day, every day of the week,” Woods said. Legislators were at the time going through the vote for $3.5 million for the cruise berthing and cargo project. Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders questioned the funding, asking why it was listed as an executive asset when government said no more funds would be spent on the project. Chief Officer for the Tourism Ministry Stran Bodden explained the funds were assigned for consultancy fees for the legal work for the project. Port operations questioned Opposition Leader Arden McLean raised this issue as he questioned the hours cargo staff were working and if cargo operators and truck drivers were being used to offload containers. Woods said the port is short staffed, and they are working on increasing available manpower. He said operators are only assigned to cargo, and it may be possible that truck drivers may be offloading. He said the Port Authority Board has discussed alternatives. Seven workers, he said, have been added to the Cargo Distribution Centre, and they are in the process of recruiting nine more to alleviate the shortage. George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan questioned the safety of the current schedule at the dock and asked if any medical tests had been done to determine if it was adversely affecting workers. Woods said a safety audit was done, but it did not assess scheduling. He did say the current plan is to have those workers who are on night shift, just work the night shift. He explained that the shift schedule runs three nights, one day and three days off. McLean said he has been receiving complaints from workers and they are demoralized. Woods, however, said they were upset because they were not getting the shift they wanted. He said what they wanted was a shift that would see them having four days off. West Bay West MLA McKeeva Bush questioned whether operators were working in 25 to 30 knot winds and when there is lightning. However, Woods said they are not, adding that when there are adverse weather conditions cargo operations are shut down. Premier Alden McLaughlin welcomed the MLAs’ concerns for the workers on the cargo port, and asked Woods to explain to the House why operations are that way. Woods said the port is still operating on a little over two acres of land. He said when it was constructed back in the 1970s, the population was 12,000 and there were 25,000 tons of cargo coming in. Today, he said, the cargo port is operating on the same footprint with little enhancement. “We are now handling 300,000 plus tons of cargo, 250,000 tons of aggregate and cement, from the 25,000 tons that we had,” he said. Woods explained that when cruise ships are in port, work on the cargo end has to stop. He also told MLAs that at present, the ship with materials for the airport airfield upgrade cannot berth, so they will have to bring barges to offload the ship. “We are practically at capacity. There is not much more we can do,” Woods added. Finance Committee resumes Monday in the Legislative Assembly. New prison still several years away Business case expected late next year JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s main prison at Northward is well beyond capacity and is in an “unacceptable” state for inmates and staff, Director of Prisons Steven Barrett told legislators last week. There are currently 204 male prisoners at Northward, 15 in the women’s prison at Fairbanks and nine in youth detention. Barrett said Northward was initially built for 139 prisoners with an “operational maximum” of 169. He said there was limited scope to increase capacity without a new build. “We are already beyond the point I consider to be acceptable,” he said. Barrett was speaking as legislators voted to approve $19 million in prison infrastructure upgrades over the next two years. The ultimate goal, according to Home Affairs Minister Tara Rivers, is to build a new prison. But she said that would not happen overnight. Only a fraction of the $9 million allocated for prison infrastructure in 2020 will go towards the new facility. A strategic outline case detailing options for either redeveloping at the existing site or expanding elsewhere is expected by December. A full business case will be submitted by August next year, at which point Rivers said government would be better equipped to outline the likely costs and timeline of the project. Barrett said there was “huge capacity” for new construction at the Northward site. The current prison occupies just 12 acres of a 112-acre parcel. He said the strategic outline and business case would detail the best options to ensure the prison had the capacity and the types of services it was likely to need. Rivers said expenditure for 2020 would go toward a new entrance area with improved security equipment, a digital CCTV system, prison vans and computer equipment, among other things. She said there were problems that needed to be addressed now, despite the fact that a new facility was on the horizon. Bodden Town legislator Chris Saunders raised concerns about the sheer amount being spent on prisons, calculating that between its operational and capital expenses government was allocating $280,000 per prisoner over the next two years. “That is a significant amount of money for us to be spending locking people up,” he said. “I’m very uncomfortable to vote $69 million (over two years) to keep 219 people in custody. “I guarantee you if we had spent $69 million on these families before they had got here, we wouldn’t have this prison population right now. What is the long-term strategy?” Rivers said the business case would include looking at rehabilitation programmes and the steering committee for the project includes representatives from social services and other helping agencies. MLAs concerned for port workers’ safety “That port is used at 100% of its capacity 90% of the time, and the only reason that it has any downtime is if there is a day without a cruise ship scheduled, or a day we don’t have an aggregate ship.” Joseph Woods , Acting Port Director Acting Port Director Joseph Woods has said operations at the port are at their maximum capacity. Government is expected to complete its business case on the upgrade of Northward prison late next year. 3We have just come to the end of an almost two-week fabulous holiday on Grand Cayman - beautiful! Thank you! Naturally I notice that there is a lot of wealth around and sadly I notice that there is a lot of poverty around. I notice the adverts for some very low paid manual jobs – hairdressing, joinery, plumbing – all essential skills for a progressing society. We came in 2008 and we notice how many more roads and houses there are. We notice who does what kind of work and where. Does Grand Cayman hope to work for a fairer system, a better distribution of wealth? As a small island you have so much opportunity to show how it can be done, to demonstrate to others real equality. I fear that I may be asking too many awkward questions yet I am confident that someone locally is already asking these questions. My own country is the UK and we have some mighty questions to ask ourselves in these days of uncertainty, so I am not in a great position to comment, but what you have here in sun, sea and sand, beauty and friendliness is amazing and should not be lost in the struggle to do well for yourselves. Don't fall backwards into the past, Cayman: only spring forwards.... Lorraine Apps-Huggins Cayman needs fairer distribution of wealth FridAY'S SOLUTiONS 1234567 8 9 10 11 12131415 1617 1819 20212223 24 25 26 27 1234567 8 9 10 11 12131415 1617 1819 20212223 24 25 26 27 Puzzle 16229 ACROSS: 1 Tetanus, 5 Abhor, 8 Elbow room, 9 Nil, 10 Deft, 12 Thumbs-up, 14 Cooper, 15 Invoke, 17 Folklore, 18 Snap, 21 Ego, 22 Videotape, 24 Swear, 25 Toehold. DOWN: 1 Tread, 2 Tub, 3 News, 4 Soothe, 5 Armament, 6 Hands down, 7 Relapse, 11 Footloose, 13 Keel over, 14 Coffers, 16 Credit, 19 Plead, 20 Sole, 23 Ago. ACrOSS 1 A prickly shrub (5) 8 Underhand (8) 9 Harsh (5) 10 Meet face-to-face (8) 11 Inconsiderable (5) 12 Sphere (3) 16 Train of thought (6) 17 Hooded waterproof jacket (6) 18 Put on (3) 23 Vulgarly bright (5) 24 Out of sorts (5,3) 25 Side road (5) 26 Especially (5,3) 27 Theatrical backer (5) dOWN 2 Instantaneously (8) 3 Residual (4,4) 4 Bravery (6) 5 Small light boat (5) 6 Small engine (5) 7 Make a rasping sound (5) 12 Singular (3) 13 Prohibit (3) 14 Treat leniently (2,4,2) 15 Incorrigible person (4,4) 19 In spoken form (6) 20 German submarine (1-4) 21 Despondency (5) 22 Go majestically (5) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16231 The numbers in the black cells are clues. Numbers above the slash are across clues. Number below the slash are down clues. The goal is to enter digits 1 - 9 in the white cells to add up to the number clues. You cannot enter any digit more than once when adding up to clue. cartoon The Cruise - By Caymanman What they’re saying Researcher aims to regrow coral The coral reef helps protect Grand Cayman and if removed will be disastrous when storms wreck havoc. – Allen McCracken Coral < profits – Pete Dierkes How bout just not digging it up? The Falmouth project. – gileshobday A failed experiment. Anyone surprised? I'm not. johnny_peeko Eden queries $3.5M allocation for port project This port will be the end of the Cayman Islands as we know it. Such poor judgement. – Be Solomon Would be good to see the breakdown of the $9 million? – Marion Webb CCMI: No evidence scientists can recreate a reef We need to accommodate nature instead of the other way around. – Pam Eaves Koziel Ship can drop 5 miles out like Belize – Dawn Veek [Will] the vote actually mean anything? Or will they move forward in despite the outcome? – Valerie Nguyen Police seek help in identifying burglar No Good for the Life Style of Cayman. – Bob Cooke Why don't they got a job, they robbed me blind last year – Helen Jones Eden takes aim at governor’s Throne Speech comments It's like he doesn't recall the comments made earlier this year. People will remember and acknowledge what they want, and then play victim and act as if they've never done anything. – Lucille Williams-Fernandez “these people” – Petro Kotze cayman compass 4 news N news MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2019Push to save hawksbill turtle Conservation centre planned for Cayman Brac RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman will be stepping up local efforts to save the critically endangered hawksbill turtle through a proposed turtle conservation facility on Cayman Brac. Cayman Turtle Centre CEO Tim Adam urged support for the facility in Finance Committee last week. He told legislators the population of the hawksbill turtle has declined on the island and the nests are decreasing. Government has allocated $2 million for the facility in the 2020/2021 budget. However, after heavy questioning from Opposition members Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller, it was revealed that the funds were not for the facility itself, but for the preparatory business case for the centre. Miller took issue with the financing of the Cayman Turtle Centre in Grand Cayman, which continues to be heavily subsidised by more than $8 million per budget cycle and questioned whether the proposed facility would also prove to be a drain on the public purse. Adam said the facility will be funded by sponsorship and donations. Both Adam and Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell defended the, Cayman Turtle Centre saying that it serves as an anchor tourist attraction in West Bay and provides employment. Kirkconnell said the new facility will not only assist in the conservation of the turtles, but it will also help the Cayman Brac economy by providing jobs and attracting tourists. Adam stressed that the proposed facility would serve the dual purpose of conservation and education, and include a lab for research. It will not produce meat for consumption, he said, as it will specifically rear hawksbill turtles for release, noting the species is in need of help. He said it will also aim to grow the Cayman Brac population of green sea turtles, which is in decline there as well. Last year, Adam said, there were no hawksbill nests found in Grand Cayman. “We were blessed to have a few in Cayman Brac and … less than 20 nests on Little Cayman,” he said as he asked for the legislators’ help to save the turtles. The global population of the hawksbill turtle, which nests in the Cayman Islands, is declining with some estimates placing the numbers at around 8,000 in the wild. “All of the turtles at the Cayman Brac facility are ultimately destined for release, therefore augmenting the population in the wild,” Adam said. While McLean acknowledged the need to save the turtles, he put the blame for the dire situation with population numbers squarely on the lack of enforcement. “[It is] because of poaching, that is the problem with it. It has been an abject failure on how we have managed the natural resources in this country and that one in particular. Poaching has caused it, so let’s not try to diminish and try to make the public feel this is a natural occurrence; it is not, it comes from poaching by people,” McLean argued. He added he has raised the issue for years on lack of enforcement for poaching. Kirkconnell said that was an issue for the Department of Environment and McLean should voice his concern when the DoE appears before the committee. Miller questioned if there was any board directive to turn a profit at the Cayman Turtle Centre. Adam responded that a plan is being worked on to ensure the facility breaks even. $2 million allocated for Cayman Brac facility The proposed Cayman Brac Turtle Centre will mainly focus on research and breeding turtles for release into the wild. cayman compass 5 news N news MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2019No charges in West Bay shooting death ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky No charges have been filed in relation to the shooting death of a West Bay man who was killed in his yard more than 10 days ago. Shaquille Bush, 24, died after being shot multiple times. Police say the incident occurred between 5pm and 5:30pm on Tuesday, 12 Nov. Two days after Bush’s death, police announced that a 44-year- old West Bay man had been arrested on suspicion of murder. The suspect has since been released on bail and police are calling on members of the community to come forward. Police previously stated that at the time of the shooting the area was dimly lit with natural lighting, and detectives believe there may have been people in and around the location when the shooting occurred who have information which could assist with the investigation. Cayman CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons responsible for the murder. Tips can be submitted anonymously via the Miami-based call centre of CrimeStoppers at 800-8477(TIPS). Anyone with information can also contact Detective Inspector Collins Oremule at 936-8746. Anonymous tips can also be made via the RCIPS confidential tip line on 949-7777. Man hospitalised after brawl in George Town Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward after a man was beaten around the head during a dispute. The injured man remains hospitalised in critical condition. Police said the incident happened just after 8:15am Thursday. They said officers and other emergency services were dispatched following a report of an assault involving weapons that was in progress on School Road, George Town. Two men were involved in an altercation which led to one of the men being struck in the head with an object several times, causing him severe injury, police said in a statement. The injured man was transported to the hospital by private vehicle. Police said they are seeking the assistance of witnesses present during the time of the incident to come forward and speak with them. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is encouraged to call George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Cayman regiment makes progress An initial scoping exercise aimed at creating the Cayman Islands Regiment has begun. The process is being headed up by Commander Con Burns, Major Rennie Bulmer and Major Ed Dutton, who are all members of the UK military, according to a statement released by government. They have since met with representatives from Hazard Management Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands Red Cross, the Cayman Islands Cadet Corps, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and the Cayman Islands Fire Service. The scoping exercise comes on the heels of a three-day visit in October by UK Minister for Armed Forces Mark Lancaster. “The team has been asked to identify what logistical advice, operational training, equipment and general support the Cayman Islands would need from the UK to set up the Regiment,” according to the statement. Matthew Forbes, head of the governor’s office, added, “We are pleased that Commander Burns and the team have been able to carry out this review so soon after the Minister’s visit. This initial scoping will provide us with a roadmap to ensure that the Regiment can be formed and be effective as soon as possible.” Gold smuggling trial set to begin ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The trial of five men accused of playing varying roles in laundering millions of dollars’ worth of gold through Cayman is set to begin in the Grand Court Monday. A Grand Court jury was empanelled on Monday, 11 Nov.; however, the trial was delayed for a week for legal reasons. The men on trial are Daniel Alberto Aguilar Ferriozi, Antonio Di Ventura Herrera, Pedro Jose Benavidez Natera, Juan Carlos Gonzales Infante and Kody Zander. They have been jointly charged with two counts of money laundering, to which they all pleaded not guilty. The charges allege that sometime between 27 May and 31 May 2019, they facilitated the sale and transfer of gold in Cayman. Benavidez Natera and Gonzales Infante have also been charged with one count of concealing criminal property. The charge stems from US$135,000 that was found hidden beneath a compartment in the private jet used to transport the gold to Cayman. Benavidez Natera and Gonazles Infante also denied those charges. From left, Lieutenant Commander Leo Anglin and Commander Robert Scotland of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard in discussion with UK Major Ed Dutton. Armed police cordon off the West Bay home where the 24-year-old Shaquille Bush was shot and killed 6Carnival Corporation CEO and president Arnold Donald flew into Grand Cayman this month for a quick stopover. Before a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and government officials, Donald sat down with the Cayman Compass to answer some common questions about the cruise port. What is your vision for the cruise tourism product here in Cayman if the port is approved? I’m not sure there’s been a referendum like that ever in the past, so for us it’s a historic thing. It’s important that we fit in with the will of the locals. We are guests and we There are two mantras in our business. The first is: happy crew, happy guests. And second and equal: happy locals, happy guests. So our guests don’t want to go someplace they’re not welcome and we certainly don’t want to introduce them to that. But they’ve always been welcome here. We have a 40-year history in Cayman and we’re excited about it. So our vision is to bring, in a sustainable fashion, more guests to Cayman to help drive the local economy and to expose people to all the beauty, wonder and experience that is here in Cayman. If a majority of locals vote against the port project, what does that mean for Carnival and the future relationship with Cayman? I think, first of all, we’ve been coming here all along and I’m sure we will continue to come. As the ships get larger and are unable to tender guests in, I think over time you might see a decline in the number of guests coming to Cayman. Ships are becoming somewhat larger and, therefore, not able to tender in. I think over time there would be a decline. But if that were the will of the people, we obviously would respect that and honour that. We have to abide by the rules and regulations wherever we go and that gives us the freedom to operate. So while we are optimistic and hopeful that it’s supported and is passed so we can continue to contribute to economic prosperity here in Cayman, we’ll be very respectful. Can you explain tendering and why there’s this message that the larger classes of ships won’t be tendered? Concerning tendering, there will always be ships that will require tendering capacity. So there will always be some tendering for the foreseeable future. The challenge with some of the much larger ships is that they don’t tender anywhere in the world. The reason is just because of the flow of the guests on the ship. You have, in some cases, many more thousands of guests and the tendering operation can become quite tedious. In our business, happy guests, happy crew, and a long queue does not make for happy guests. Some of these larger ships are going to be in the Caribbean, they are going to be on Caribbean itineraries, and Cayman will want to be a part of that. ‘We’ll be very respectful’ of referendum decision CARNIVAL CEO: PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8» KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Carnival Corporation CEO and president Arnold Donald flew into Grand Cayman this month for a quick stopover. Before a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and government officials, Donald sat down with the Cayman Compass to answer some common questions about the cruise port. What is your vision for the cruise tourism product here in Cayman if the port is approved? I’m not sure there’s been a referendum like that ever in the past, so for us it’s a historic thing. It’s important that we fit in with the will of the locals. We are guests and we bring guests here. There are two mantras in our business. The first is: happy crew, happy guests. And second and equal: happy locals, happy guests. So our guests don’t want to go someplace they’re not welcome and we certainly don’t want to introduce them to that. But they’ve always been welcome here. We have a 40-year history in Cayman and we’re excited about it. So our vision is to bring, in a sustainable fashion, ore guests of referendum cayman compass 7 I issues MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2019Carnival CEO: ‘We’ll be very respectful’ of referendum decision How many of these larger ships will be frequenting the Caribbean? How common will it be that these ships might come to port here? In our fleet, across our cruise line brands, we have [approximately] 108 ships. They certainly are not all super large ships. There’s only a few of them. But in the Caribbean over time, there will be a handful and then a dozen or so of these ships. But they are carrying a lot of guests and they will be on itineraries that Cayman would fit well in and guests would like to come. I think the combination of that with the existing fleet will slowly add opportunity for additional guests to come to Cayman and hopefully as we work together, we can manage that in a way where it’s seamless for everyone and especially the locals. There are a lot of port projects going on in the Caribbean right now and a lot of them are driven by cruise tourism. What’s the guarantee that this investment will be worth it for us? That these other new, modern ports might also be competing for those large ships? The demand for the Caribbean is strong. It’s one of the most frequented, guest-favoured spots in the world. There’s almost 80 islands in the Caribbean. Cayman will always be one of the favourite spots, as are several others. Once you put the itineraries together, you just see again the opportunity for growth. But we do need more destinations and improvements in the destinations being able to receive ships, distributing the guests and also have additional excursions and opportunities. How can we be certain we wouldn’t experience a similar effect as Falmouth, Jamaica, that had a decline last year in cruise arrivals? I think the wonderful thing for Cayman here is, first of all, the investment is not coming from the people or the government of Cayman. So the investment is coming in a different way. Therefore, there’s no risk involved for the Cayman taxpayer or for the government. But those making the investment obviously feel there is an opportunity to see a return. If not, it would just be a business that had a plan that didn’t work out. But there’s no penalty to people of Cayman or the government, if for some reason there’s a decline in cruise traffic. The passenger fee that will go to the cruise lines, isn’t that a tax in a sense that would have otherwise gone to government? I guess, you’re right. It could be a technical risk, as I understand the deal. I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got a lot of ports, so I’m not sure of all the details. But, you know, I guess there could be a theoretical risk that if the investment is made and the traffic declines, you might see on a per- unit basis a little less. So, you have to rely on some increase. I think the other aspect of this project though is the cargo aspect. And there’s going to be significant improvement on the cargo side. You’re allowing for much more efficient utilisation on the cargo side, which will drive down the costs, which, again, the locals can benefit from. The other concern, of course, is the environmental impact. How do we know that Carnival will have a better environmental record moving forward? Our highest responsibility, and therefore our priority, is excellence and safety, environmental protection and compliance. Those are not just words. Not only is it the right thing to do but if you think about our business, if we aren’t safe, people are not going to sail with us. No one wants to go to a location where they can’t breathe the air, that the water is polluted, that is soiled and unkempt. No one wants that. So it’s not only the right thing to do from a societal standpoint, it’s absolutely required for our business. It is our highest responsibility and one of our top priorities. Does that mean we never make mistakes? We sell thousands of itineraries a year. We have hundreds of ships on those itineraries, so occasionally mistakes are made. We want transparency. We want to make certain we learn from our mistakes so that we can never repeat them and that we can mitigate any future mistakes. Overall, our track record has been very good in the Caribbean and elsewhere. That doesn’t mean we’re not without mistakes and we’re not making excuses for the mistakes. We have to learn from them. If we look at the dumping case in the Bahamas (Carnival has acknowledged dumping treated sewage in Bahamian waters), what went wrong there and what did Carnival learn from that? So, my understanding of the situation in the Bahamas was, there is a regulation, a Marpol regulation, concerning discharges of even treated material within a certain distance from a shoreline. Our internal standards for that are actually greater than what the international law requires. Within the international law, there is a provision regarding archipelagos. But that particular ruling then has to be taken up by the local country. So they make their own rules. International law provides the opportunity but it’s subject to the local [law]. What happened with that particular case is, we were well outside the shoreline, so well within our own regulations as well as international regulations. But there was an archipelago, which is huge for the Bahamas. We self- identified and self-reported out of an abundance of caution. Even now I’m not certain that there’s evidence the Bahamas ever adopted that particular regulation. But we don’t want to do it. It is treated material. It’s not harmful stuff. It is treated material but we want to be in compliance. Out of an abundance of caution, we self-reported and we have taken measures to say we will not discharge in an archipelago, regardless of what the regulation is. That’s what we set for ourselves going forward. What kinds of jobs would the port project offer that aren’t already in existence here? There would obviously be the construction aspect of it all. There would be a number of jobs created because it’s new construction, so it’s new work. There would be hundreds of jobs created within that context. Hopefully as you bring additional guests in, it will also cause growth. We talked about additional excursion opportunities and different ways to experience Cayman. So that will create additional jobs. Also, with additional volume, [there are] additional job opportunities within sectors that are already benefitting today. Then you have the economic multiplier effect from provisioning to craftsmanship to transportation on the island, etc. … What I do know, typically one job on a cruise ship creates five to seven additional jobs in an economy. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 On concerns over Carnival’s environmental record: Overall, our track record has been very good in the Caribbean and elsewhere… We sell thousands of itineraries a year. We have hundreds of ships on those itineraries, so occasionally mistakes are made. On the switch to larger ships: In our fleet, across our cruise line brands, we have [approximately] 108 ships. They certainly are not all super large ships. There’s only a few of them. But in the Caribbean over time, there will be a handful and then a dozen or so of these ships. On what happens if the port is not built: As the ships get larger and are unable to tender guests in, I think over time you might see a decline in the number of guests coming to Cayman. On the referendum process: I’m not sure there’s been a referendum like that ever in the past, so for us it’s a historic thing. It’s important that we fit in with the will of the locals. We are guests and we bring guests here. Interview-at-a-glance: Carnival CEO Arnold Donald 8 MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2019For reservations, please call 345-815-6912 or visit ritzcarlton.com/grandcayman Discover the season of joy with an array of memorable experiences at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, each as delightful as the next. Through a series of seasonal events and activities that kick o with Thanksgiving in November, we hope to inspire a meaningful journey through the holiday season. NOVEMBER FESTIVE EVENTS 2019 - 2020 TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING FEAST NOVEMBER 28 RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FROM 5:00 P.M. 7:30 P.M. ROYAL CAYMAN ISLANDS BALLROOM Reservations Required. Adult $130 | Children 6-12 years $60 | Children 3-5 years $30 THANKSGIVING DINNER AT SEVEN NOVEMBER 28 | 5:30 P.M. SEVEN RESTAURANT Reservations Required. Adult $85 | Children 6-12 years $45 | Children 3-5 years $18. THANKSGIVING BEACH BBQ NOVEMBER 29 | 6:30 P.M. 9:00 P.M. SEVEN MILE BEACH Reservations Required. Adult $110 | Children 6-12 years $50 | Children 3-5 years $30 THANKSGIVING BRUNCH DECEMBER 1 | 12:00 P.M. 3:00 P.M. SEVEN Reservations Required Adult with champagne $98 Adult without champagne $78 Children under 12 years $30 THANKSGIVING FAMILY CABANA DINNERS NOVEMBER 28 | 7:00 P.M. 9:00 P.M. BEACH OR POOL CABANAS Reservations Required with a minimum six guests. Adult $115 | Children 6-12 years $60 | Children 3-5 years $30 (additional cabana set-up fee) THANKSGIVING FEAST TO GO NOVEMBER 28 Order must be placed by November 25, 2019. $380 Delivery and service charge to be added to final bill. 9Next >